Wood wind instrument



Nov. 14, 1939. H. w. LONEY WOODWIND INSTRUMENT- Filed Marc 2h 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Haw Vk' Lam's) mam 90w M ATTORNEY.

Nov. 14, 1939. H. w, LONEY WOODWIND INSTRUMENT Filed March 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet? Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE WOOD WIND INSTRUMENT ana Application March 28, 1938, Serial No. 198,353

1 Claim.

This invention relates to musical instruments of the woodwind type, and is illustrated as embodied in a saxophone.

An object of the invention is to improve the mounting of a group of keys controlling G-sharp, low B-flat, low B, and low C-sharp, to facilitate their manipulation by the player. Preferably these keys are in the form of four closely-adjacent plate-like keys approximately in the same plane and all of which are mounted on pivots which are parallel to each other and arranged crosswise of the instrument. Thus all four keys swing in arcs in the same direction when they are operated, thus adding to the facility with which the player can operate them smoothly, especially in very rapid passages. The pads for the corresponding four tone-holes are usually mounted on pivots extending lengthwise of the instrument, and means is provided for operating them when -30 the above-described keys are depressed.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a saxophone shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

25 Figure 1 is a perspective view or" a saxophone, all of the key mechanism being omitted except that having to do with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a development in a single plane of the key mechanism embodying the present in- 30 vention;

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections through the instrument on the lines 33 and 44 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal section on the line 55 of Figure 2.

The invention is shown in the drawings as embodied in a saxophone which is an improvement on the instrument shown in Loomis Patent No. 2,055,382, issued September 22, 1936. In order 40 to avoid confusion in the disclosure, all of the key mechanism is omitted except that having to do with the present invention; it will be understood, of course, that the usual key mechanism for the other notes is, however, to be provided.

45 The instrument illustrated is formed with the usual tapering tubular body I0, having a flaring bell I2 at one end and with a mouthpiece I3 at the other end. The present invention relates to the mounting and operation of a G-sharp 50 key M, a low B-flat key 16, a low B key 18, a low C-sharp key 2E], and the various parts associated therewith.

These four keys are preferably in the form of plates all substantially in the same plane, and are 55 shown provided with rollers 22 to facilitate passing the players finger from one to another. An important feature of the present invention relates to making this passage from one of these keys to another easier and smoother, by mounting the keys as described below so that they turn. 5 about pivots which are all parallel to each other crosswise of the instrument.

In the particular arrangement shown, the key [4 is arranged to operate the normally-closed G-sharp pad 24. The key M is secured rigidly n10 on the upper end of a lever 26 extending lengthwise of the instrument and mounted on a pivot 28 extending crosswise of the instrument. The upper end of the lever 24 is relatively close to the body of the instrument, as shown in Figure 5, 415 and is provided with a lug 3U faced on its lower surface with suitable non-metallic material; this lug engages the body of the instrument when key [4 is depressed, to determine the height to which pad 24 is lifted.

The lever 26, below the pivot 28, has a rigid extension 32 spaced further from the body of the instrument to clear two other pivots described below, and which engages (through a suitable pad of non-metallic material) a lug 34 on a lever 36 carrying the G-sharp tone-hole cover or pad 24. The lever 36 extends crosswise of the instrument, and is mounted on a vertical pivot 38. A spring 40 normally holds the key I4 in its raised position, and a weaker spring 42 acts on the pivot 38 to raise the pad 24 when the key I4 is depressed.

The instrument is shown provided also with a G-sharp trill key 44. Ordinarily the key 24 and the three adjacent keys described below are operated by the little finger of the players left hand, and the trill key 44 is arranged so that it can be operated by one of the fingers of the players right hand. The key 44 is carried by a lever 46 fixed on a long pivot sleeve 43 mounted on a pivot rod of usual form. I

Part of the pivot sleeve 48 is directly above the pivot 38 of lever 36, and in Figure 2 is partly broken away to show pivot 38. The upper end of the pivot sleeve 48 has rigidly secured thereto an arm 50 overlying a projection 52 extending outwardly from the lever 26, so that manipulation of the key 44 against the resistance or" a spring 49 operates the G-sharp pad 24 through the lever 26. 50

The key I6 is a relatively large one, and has a part just below one end of the key 14, and another part extending crosswise of the instrument below the keys I8 and 20. It is mounted on the, upper end of a lever 54 mounted on a pivot 56 55 extending crosswise of the instrument. The key I8 is mounted on the upper end of a lever 58 mounted on a pivot 60 extending crosswise of the instrument. Similarly the key 20 is mounted on the upper end of a lever 62 mounted on a pivot 64 extending crosswise of the instrument.

The pivots 28, 56, 60, and 64 all parallel each other, so that the keys swing in the same direction when depressed. These pivots may all be of the usual construction, consisting of sleeves mounted on pivot pins seated at their ends in posts carried by the body of the instrument.

The lever 54 for key I 6 carries at one side a rounded lug 66 engageable (through a suitable adjusting screw 61) with the end of a lever arm 68 rigidly mounted on a long vertical pivot sleeve Ml carrying at its lower end an arm 12 secured to the cover or pad 14 for the B-fla-t tone-hole. Cover M is normally raised by a suitable spring 16, and is lowered to close its tone-hole by the depression of key it. The lever 54 (see Figure 5) has a short lower extension 18 engageable (through a pad of non-metallic material) with the instrument body to limit the depression of the key it.

The lever 58 for the key I8, or the key itself, has a rounded projection (Figure 3) on its lower face engaging, through an adjusting screw 8| an arm 82 on a pivot sleeve 84 extending lengthwise of the instrument body. The lower end of the pivot 84 carries an arm 85 on which is mounted the cover or pad 88 for the low B tone-hole, the pad 88 normally being raised to open the tone-hole by a suitable spring 98.

The lever 62 has an extension 92 below the pivot 64, this extension having at its. end a rounded lug $34 seated between jaws 96 carried by an arm 98 rigid with a pivot sleeve I60 extending lengthwise of the instrument. The sleeve Hi0 carries an arm 92 on which is mounted the low C-sharp pad or cover I04. This cover is normally held down in closed position by a suitable spring I06.

The key I 4 can be depressed without affecting the other three keys. When key I8 is depressed, the arm 82 engages the lever 26, so that the key [4 is also depressed therewith, thereby operating the G-sharp pad 24. The key l4 has a lug I08 below and in the path of the key 20, so that key 20 also operates the G-sharp pad 24. Key l6 directly overlies lever 58, as shown in Figure 4, so that depressing the key It operates the key 18 and (through the key l8 as explained above) the key I4, thus operating the pads 88 and. 24 as well as 14.

It will be seen that the above-described mounting retains for the keys l4, IS, IS, and 2! and associated mechanism all of the advantages set forth in the above-identified Loomis patent, with the additional advantage that the keys when depressed all swing in the same direction about substantially parallel pivots crosswise of the instrument, making smooth operation much easier in rapid playing.

While one illustrative construction has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claim.

I claim:

A woodwind instrument of the saxophone type having an assembly of four fiat closely-adjacent finger plate keys approximately in the same plane, for G-sharp and B-fiat and B and C-sharp, four levers for said keys having four corresponding pivots all mounted substantially parallel to each other crosswise of the instrument, whereby all four of the keys swing in arcs in the same direction when they are operated, said instrument having corresponding tone-holes, pads for said tone holes having arms. mounted on pivots extending lengthwise of the instrument, and means operated by said keys for operating said pads.

HUGH W. LONEY. 

